Patriots sign Adrian Wilson, Donald Jones

Saturday

Mar 16, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Rich Garven TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The first day of free agency passed quietly in Foxboro, but it’s been the fast and the furious since then, with Bill Belichick intent on ensuring that $25 million in cap space doesn’t burn a hole in his hoodie pocket.

On Wednesday, the Patriots lost slot receiver Wes Welker to the Denver Broncos and moved quickly to replace him with former St. Louis Ram Danny Amendola.

Running back and returner Leon Washington, an ex-Jet who spent the last three seasons in Seattle playing for Pete Carroll, was brought into the fold Thursday on a one-year deal.

And on Friday the Patriots plucked five-time Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson away from Arizona and receiver Donald Jones from AFC East rival Buffalo. They also re-signed versatile cornerback Kyle Arrington for four more seasons, while losing popular running back Danny Woodhead to the San Diego Chargers.

Wilson, 33, should immediately bolster the back end of the Patriots defense. The 13-year veteran has 27 career interceptions and 25-1/2 sacks. He was released by the Cardinals on March 8.

According to espnboston, Amendola signed for $28.5 million over five years with $11 million guaranteed in the form of a $6 million signing bonus and a $2 million salary for each of the first two seasons. Original reports set the package at $31 million with $10 million guaranteed.

The Patriots are really banking on Amendola being a capable replacement for Welker.

The fact they share so many similarities — both went undrafted out of Texas Tech and are undersized receivers who do their best work over the middle — makes comparisons inevitable. Amendola understands that and doesn’t appear bothered by them.

“About all those comparisons to Wes, I’ve been hearing it for a long time,” the fifth-year pro said Friday during a conference call. “We went to the same college and I’ve been watching him play for a long time. He’s a great player, he’s been to a lot of Pro Bowls and he’s done a lot of great things to help the Patriots win.

“One of my main goals is to fulfill my role and try to do what I can to help the Patriots win as well.”

Amendola is listed at 5-foot-11 and 188 pounds, making him a couple of inches taller and a few pounds heavier than Welker. He’s also 27, which makes him nearly five years younger than Welker.

While Amendola has primarily worked out of the slot, he would prefer not to be typecast.

“I did a number of things last year from the outside,” said Amendola, who caught 63 passes for 666 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games last season. “Whatever my role is on each play, that’s just what I have to do. I have to do my job. That’s pretty much it, regardless of whether it’s inside or outside.

“I want to be a football player. You never want to be labeled as just a slot or just an outside guy. You want to feel like you can move guys around and create mismatches and whatnot.”

Amendola’s most productive season came in 2010 when he caught 85 passes in 16 games.

Since then he’s missed 20 games due to an assortment of injuries.

That would be 17 games more than Welker missed during his six seasons in New England.

“Being a football player, you have to understand that it’s a football game,” Amendola said. “Injuries sometimes happen. The best way to go about things is to stay positive and work on other areas, so to speak, if you can’t necessarily play because you’re out.”

Amendola, who met briefly with Tom Brady on Thursday, won’t be the only new face in the receivers’ meeting room due to the addition of Jones.

Jones spent his first three seasons in Buffalo after making the Bills as an undrafted rookie out of Division 1-AA Youngstown State in 2010. The 6-foot, 208-pounder had 41 receptions for 443 yards and four TDs in 12 games last season.

Strangely enough, the Bills took a pass on tendering Jones, making him an unrestricted free agent. The timing of the signing is interesting to New Englanders.

According to multiple reports, the Patriots spent Friday talking with receiver Brandon Lloyd about restructuring his contract. It would appear they’d like to avoid paying him a $3 million roster bonus that’s due this weekend.

Both Jones and Lloyd are considered outside possession receivers, so you can see where this might be headed if Lloyd doesn’t agree to a pay cut.

In addition, the Patriots held an open house Friday for a handful of free agents at Gillette Stadium.

On defense, they visited with pass-rushing ends Dwight Freeney (formerly of the Colts) and John Abraham (Falcons). Both veterans are unrestricted FAs and at least 33 years old.

They also hosted third-year receiver Emmanuel Sanders, a restricted free agent who would cost the Patriots a third-round draft choice were they able to pry him away from the Pittsburgh Steelers.